Italy v Ireland: Leinster's Fergus McFadden promoted to Irish squad

Fergus McFadden, who was wondering a year ago whether he even had a future at
Leinster, will make his Ireland debut against Italy in Rome on Saturday
after a positional switch breathed fresh life into a career that threatened
to stall.

McFadden is a centre by preference but has inevitably found himself short of game time at Leinster where Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy have held sway for so long and continue to spearhead the province, both in the Magners League and the Heineken Cup.

A switch to the wing – and Ireland's sudden injury crisis with Andrew Trimble, Shane Horgan and Tommy Bowe all unavailable – has, however, suddenly improved his situationand led to a chance to lay down a marker for the future.

“I always backed myself to get into the Leinster team eventually but Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll have probably the best centre partnership in Europe,” says McFadden.

“But there was a period at the start of the last year when I was wondering if my future was at Leinster, even though my heart has always been there.

“Thankfully, I got a chance on the wing because Leinster coach Joe Schmidt wanted to get the best players on the pitch.

“We had a situation where Napolioni Nalaga, the right winger for Clermont, was quite big so Joe was looking for someone more physical to mark him when we played in December.

"He asked me if I was happy to play there and I said ‘of course’. I showed up well and have kicked on from there, really enjoying it.”

McFadden, who was named player of the tournament at the 2009 Churchill Cup, still sees his long-term future at centre but appreciates the opportunity a change in jersey has presented.

“Playing on the wing has added another string to my bow,” he said. “There’s a World Cup around the corner and you’ve got to have that in the back of your mind. It’s a competitive squad at the best of times.”

Elsewhere Tomas O’Leary, who was recalled to the squad only this week, comes straight back in at scrum-half to renew his halfback partnership with Jonathan Sexton while Mike Ross get a first Six Nations start at tighthead.

In a back row deprived of the considerable services of Jamie Heaslip and Stephen Ferrris, Leinster’s Sean O’Brien is rewarded for his excellent recent form with a start at No 8. Munster’s Denis Leamy will play on the blindside and David Wallace at openside flanker.

Paul O’Connell, having put his groin injury behind him, lines up for Ireland for the first time since last season’s Six Nations.